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Studying law in the UK?

Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 1:39 am
by jackson724
This might be a bit of a long shot but I'm wondering if anybody out there studied in the UK or if anyone has any advice for me on the subject.

A bit of background: I did a semester abroad there this past year and loved it. While I was there I met a lot of people doing law (which is an undergrad degree there) who all had pretty positive things to say about it. The price tag for a law degree there is much lower than it is here, about £36,000 (~$60k) for tuition for all three years, as opposed to paying about $30k here if I decide to go regional. In fact if I wanted to, it's possible to get the degree in 2 years, which would be even less expensive. Also, a law degree there would still allow me to sit for the bar in 26 states, including NY, CA, and my native TX, if I so chose.

So is this a bad idea? My numbers aren't spectacular (3.1 and PTs around 170) but I think I could be pretty competitive in the UK because their admissions test is super easy - 45 multiple choice RC questions in 90 minutes and a writing sample - and because I can get a rec letter from one of my professors over there who already agreed to help me out.

Last thing, I'm sorry if this isn't the right place to post this, I wasn't really sure...

Re: Studying law in the UK?

Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 11:34 am
by banjo
Not a law student, but taking the bar in the US with a foreign law degree doesn't seem so simple: http://www.ncbex.org/assets/media_files ... pGuide.pdf (look at pages 14-19).

You'll find a lot more information on UK schools at lawstudents.ca. Here's one thread: http://lawstudents.ca/forums/topic/2328 ... in-the-uk/. Since Canada has no TTTT law schools, a lot of their weaker applicants end up in the UK/US/Australia.

Yale Undergraduate Law Review also published a guide on UK law schools for reverse splitters trying to save face: --LinkRemoved--

Personally, I don't think it's a good idea, especially if your goal is to return to the US to practice. Go to a T14 and go through the OCI process. That's your safest bet for a getting a job in my 0L opinion.

Re: Studying law in the UK?

Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 11:37 am
by dingbat
I wouldn't do it.
You should really only go to law school in a region where you intend to practice, so unless you plan on living in the UK afterwards, it's not a good idea.

What do you plan on doing with your law degree when you're done? A lot of employment options will be closed to you if you don't have a JD.

Re: Studying law in the UK?

Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:18 pm
by jackson724
dingbat wrote:I wouldn't do it.
You should really only go to law school in a region where you intend to practice, so unless you plan on living in the UK afterwards, it's not a good idea.

What do you plan on doing with your law degree when you're done? A lot of employment options will be closed to you if you don't have a JD.
I was thinking of doing finance law and I wouldn't mind living in the UK at all, but I suppose if I wanted to move back to the States I would be severely limited. Thanks for the advice.

Re: Studying law in the UK?

Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:24 pm
by cinephile
Are you eligible to work in the UK? I had considered something like this, but looked into the logistics and the likelihood I'd get sponsored for a work visa and it just wasn't worth it. Also, you can definitely get a law degree in the US for less than 60k (not including living expenses, books, etc.).